I think the biggest issue is not the fact oil is killing us, but that it's running out. Oil is over 60 percent of the world's energy supply, and has been the single largest factor in allowing our civilazation to expand past the 1 billion mark based on our sustainable food production limit back in 1760 or so when man struck the first oil well. Oil is pervasive in every industry, the manufacturing of almost every single device and process known today. Amazing, but talk about all your eggs in one basket ;) There is no replacement really; Hydroelectricity is less than 2% of our energy supply, Coal 20% but if increased anymore we'd have worse Greenhouse issues than we could imagine. Nuclear is GREAT, but we'd need another 10,000 or so plants to be built immediately to replace oil use in N.A. alone. Honestly I think it's a little late to be worried about conservation and maybe a focus on new energy discoveries is going to be key. We need an alternative.